Keep bananas fresher for longer with three simple storage hacks

Bananas are a staple on most shopping lists - being a good source of potassium, fibre and vitamins - and yet they're amongst the most squandered fruit, frequently 'going off' just days after purchase. Stephen Jones, a chef and creator of the Reluctant Gourmet, has explained that bananas tend to ripen rapidly due to ethylene gas released from their stems.

He said: "Ethylene is a natural hormone produced by the banana itself and is responsible for softening the fruit and developing its sweet flavour". This ethylene triggers banana ripening, with production ramping up dramatically once the fruit becomes yellow, resulting in their notoriously brief shelf-life.

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Bananas are a super fruit, being low calories and having no fat, no sodium and no cholesterol. They are a great source for vitamin C, B6, potassium, fibre.

Especially during the cost of living crisis, it's frustrating to spend on healthy fruit only to watch it rot by the weekend. Stephen offers three straightforward storage tricks to help bananas stay fresh for weeks beyond their usual lifespan, reports the Express.

Separate them from your fruit bowl

Stephen described how "ethylene is a gas, so other fruits and vegetables can easily absorb it. To prevent your bananas from ripening too quickly, try to store them away from other ethylene-producing foods, such as apples, avocados, and tomatoes".

Keep them somewhere cool and away from warmth

He added: "Bananas ripen faster at warmer temperatures. Store them in a cool, dry place to slow the ripening process. A pantry or basement is a good option".

If you fancy it, you can also pop bananas in the fridge, which will blacken their skin but keep the flesh inside perfectly fresh. Note that bananas can only go in the fridge once they've properly ripened and gone yellow, as the chill will halt their development entirely.

Cover the banana stem

Lastly, Stephen said: "The plastic wrap helps prevent the ethylene gas from reaching the rest of the banana and slows down ripening. If you separate the bananas from the bunch and wrap the stems in plastic wrap, they will last even longer".

Therefore, by wrapping the stem in clingfilm, keeping bananas in a cool and dry spot, and separating them from other fruit, they'll stay fresh for two weeks longer than usual. With various health benefits and a source to natural fibre and potassium, keep bananas on hand by trying these three tips to stretch your groceries budget into next week - your pocket will thank you.